Ivana Bacik (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Like the Minister, I am passionate in my belief for the need for Irish Water to remain in public ownership. I am glad to hear the Minister considered carefully the Seanad vote on a referendum on this issue, bringing it to the Government and the Attorney General for their consideration.

A very tragic case currently before the courts regarding the eight amendment to the Constitution shows the unintended consequences that a constitutional referendum may have. We have to be very careful before we construct constitutional texts. Everyone will acknowledge it would take some time to construct a text for a constitutional provision on the public ownership of Irish Water that might not have unintended consequences that we have seen too often before from different referendums.

I am satisfied with section 2. Not only does it require a resolution of both Houses of the Oireachtas, but that a plebiscite must be held and that a majority of the people must vote for the sale of any shares in Irish Water to a person other than the Government. The principle that the people must vote on is the one we want to see enshrined in law. No fair-minded person realistically anticipates any Government amending this section. It would be just outrageous.